Parkour Defined

There are various answers to that question. The Websters Dictionary version is close to true, but not very accurate. The general consensus is:

The activity of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles with only the body by running, jumping, climbing, vaulting, swinging or any other movement that will produce maximum efficiency and aid the practitioner in reaching their destination in the fastest way possible.

WOW! That was a mouthful. The simple answer:

A to B as fast as possible, overcoming any obstacle that gets in you way. No flips. No flash. Just fast.Â Now, somebody is bound to say â€œBut I saw a video on You Tube and they were flipping all over the place. Whatâ€™s up with that?â€ That is a different story. Once you start adding acrobatics and stylish movements that donâ€™t help with the efficiency it becomes Freerunning (one word).

Most people that train Parkour will do flips. Thatâ€™s perfectly fine. We donâ€™t often find ourselves in emergency situations that would require the use of pure Parkour, so many people will simply learn the flips as a way of adding an extra level of difficulty and excitement to their training. OfÂ courseÂ pureÂ Parkour can offer just as much challenge as Freerunning.

So it really is up to the individual to choose what they like and when they like to do it. One is not better than the other. They are like sisters, same source but different likes and dislikes.